Graphics problems with dell laptop and ofp

[GreyKnight 0]

Hey folks, it's been a while since I posted here!

I'm having utterly frustrating problems getting OFP to run properly on my Dell Inspiron 8200 laptop. It should run it perfectly, better in fact than my desktop PC, but there is one game destroying problem.

As soon as the game loads, even at the opening menu screen with the desert landscape and the burnt out M113 and the jeep, the graphics are moving in a rythmic stuttering fashion. Kind of like smoooooooth, JOLT, smooooooooth, JOLT, smoooooooth, JOLT, smooo... er, you get the idea

It does this when you actually play the game too. I've checked out the various performance related posts here and have tested a number of theories but none have worked.

I am running version 1.91 of the game and I have downloaded the latest drivers for the graphics card. I have disabled hardware sound acceleration and tweaked the various Direct3D settings in the driver. The Flashpoint Preferences tool gives a benchmark result of 3200 for the autodetected settings. I am running DirectX 9.0a and my system spec is as follows:

Pentium 4 2.0GHz

512Mb DDR-RAM

64Mb ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 graphics card

I don't know if anybody may have any experience with laptop problems, much obliged if anyone can offer any theories...

Thanks

[Placebo 29]

Tried the omega drivers? Altered the terrain quality setting? Disabled anything from running in the taskbar?

[theavonlady 2]

Have you updated all BIOS/VIDEO/SOUND/MOUSE drivers from Dell Support?

I've got a Lattitude C840 with an Nvidia Go 440 chipset. No problems. Then again, I intentionally avoided models with ATI video chips.

[GreyKnight 0]

Yep, I've updated the BIOS to the latest edition, also updated the sound drivers.  It actually appears to have made the problem worse - now is even more jerky than before - no smooth bits at all!  Aaaargh!  

Also, I don't think I can use the Omega drivers you speak of. Laptop graphics cards use manufacturer specific drivers, not the standard ATI drivers. I can only use the graphics drivers supplied on the Dell website...

[Placebo 29]

Don't they use the mobility drivers? Not an area I know much about but try perusing this thread from the driverheaven.net forums

Edit: Also visit this website which tells you how to use the latest Ati Catalyst drivers on a mobility card.

Hope those links in some way help

[GreyKnight 0]

BRILLIANT! I have successfully installed the Omega drivers using the little tool that forces Windows to accept the driver, and the graphics now run super smooth all the time!

ANOTHER PROBLEM FIXED WITH THE HELP OF THIS EXCELLENT SUPPORT COMMUNITY!!! THANKS GUYS

[Placebo 29]

Excellent news, glad I could help Worth joining and bookmarking the two main Radeon support forums I visit http://www.driverheaven.net/forum.php & http://www.rage3d.com/board/ (delete the forum/board parts of the urls to visit the actual sites themselves, useful news sites not just for Radeon stuff)